Jaka Tarub

Fall 1992

Once upon a time, in a little village lived a woman and her son.  the son's name was Jaka Tarub.  They were very poor.  The mother worked very hard every day, so that she and her son could survive.
   Jaka Tarub always had this dream that someday he would become rich and have a beautiful wife, so every day, instead of helping his mother, he just sat on the porch, thinking about his dream.
   One day, one of the men from his village asked him to accompany him to the city, and so he went.  When they arrived, many people were talking about a turtle race that was very famous in that city, and whoever won the race could marry the princess, so Jaka Tarub tried his luck.  He bought a turtle and joined the race, and Lady Luck was on his side, so he won the race, and suddenly all his dreams came true.  He became rich and then he became the king's son-in-law.  After he became rich, he never remembered his mother at all.
   One time, his mother went to the city, and tried to find him.  When she found him, Jaka Tarub pretended that he didn't know anything about this woman.  His mother was very sad, and angry, and she prayed to God to turn him into a stone, and God heard her prayer and Jaka Tarub turned into a stone.
   The stone is now what we call Jaka Tarub Mountain; it is in Java, Indonesia.

   -Ingkan Yakobus